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About the Study Guide

You are looking at a preview of what’s in the timed Today's Hunter in Indiana Course.
Feel free to look around, but you’ll need to register to begin progress toward getting your Hunter Education Certificate

Basic Components of Ammunition

Glossary

case

The container that holds all the other ammunition components together. It’s usually made of brass, steel, copper, paper, or plastic.

primer

An explosive chemical compound that ignites the gunpowder when struck by a firing pin. Primer may be placed either in the rim of the case (rimfire) or in the center of the base of the case (centerfire).

gunpowder

A chemical mixture that burns rapidly and converts to an expanding gas when ignited. Modern smokeless powder will burn slowly when ignited in the open (outside of the case). Black powder is less stable and can be explosive when impacted or ignited in the open.

projectile

The object(s) expelled from the barrel. A bullet is a projectile, usually containing lead, fired through a rifle or handgun barrel. A slug is a solid projectile, usually of lead, fired through a shotgun barrel. Shot is a group of lead, steel, tungsten alloy, or bismuth pellets fired through a shotgun barrel.

wad

A seal and/or shot container made of paper or plastic separating the powder from the slug or shot in a shotshell. The wad prevents gas from escaping through the shot and holds the shot together as it passes through the barrel.